The Last Unicorn
by MibuWolf
Summary: Cattleya is gravely ill. Only the horn of a unicorn can save her, but the unicorns that once roamed the land are no longer around. The story of a oung girl's determination, the strength of friendship and the ultimate sacrifice
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin, nor am I stealing it. Now, if you'd kindly refrain from whipping out lawsuit letters, I shall get on with my story. Otherwise, enjoy!

Credits: I gotta hand it to my friend, who happens to be my namesake. This storyline is taken from a script written for my group for my drama exam last year. And here's the scoop: I got a distinction. Ehehz. Kudos, people!

Author's Note: Just so you'd know, the story entitled "The Last Unicorn: is about… well… go read it!  As for the various characters…to my dear group members: the storyine is drastically changed due to the fact that I couldn't find enough characters for the plot…as for the characters… wango won't be included, so he is replaced by the healer who has…something to do with Adria… daddy and mommy won't be included for this version… instead they will be replaced with brother and sister… well, read on…

Cattleya: the ill and dying sister

Haru: Cattleya's brother. He is worried sick about getting his sister back to health.

Elie: the family friend. Worried about how she can help her friends with their financial peoblems

Griffon Kato: the village healer. He knows the cure to Cattleya's sister but unfortunately the remedy can't be found.

Sieghart: the one who eventually helps Elie with her problem… not gonna say how! To drama group: stop laughing, people. I know it's funny… but I had no choice! . 

Reina: Adria the evil witch! Isn't it so appropriate… so evil and selfish. I played this role, by the way…hahaz.

Okay, on with the show! Enjoy, people!

Title: The Last Unicorn

Chapter One: Every Last Penny

Haru sighed and leaned against the wall outside Cattleya's room. He tried not to look at the barren fields, the result of the lack of rain which led to poor harvests that year and thus numerous financial strains on the family.

Every last penny was gone. And even I one had silver in their hands, it was becoming almost impossible to procure food in these parts, for every land had experienced drought and famine.

Since Cattleya had succumbed to a mysterious illness and taken ill to her room, Haru had gone all out to obtain a cure to her disease. And by doing so, he had just spent the very last dollar getting the village healer to come and treat her.

His good friend, Elie, joined him outside. "Don't worry," she assured him, "I'm sure everything will be all right."

Haru managed a smile, though slight, at Elie. She was always so optimistic and cheerful even in times like this. It was their friendship, and her encouragement, that had enabled him to get through the difficult period.

It wasn't long before the village healer, Griffon Kato, came out of Cattleya's room where she had been confined to for the past month, to give them the diagnosis.

"Well, how's my sister?" Haru asked him anxiously. "Is she going to be all right?"

Griffon shook his head sadly. "I'm afraid there is nothing I can dos. Your sister is seriously very ill, and there is no way to cure her unless…"

"Unless what?" Haru persisted. It didn't matter whether he had to exchange his freedom for the remedy, or work his whole life to pay off the debt; anything to make his sister get better.

Elie leaned in closer. She, too, was also interested in how she could help another childhood friend of hers, however little.

"People speak of a certain article that can cure even the most fatal of diseases." Griffon explained. "It is so good at healing all wounds and illnesses that it is even more valued than gold."

"What's that?" Elie asked. _More valuable than gold? If that's so, than how are we going to pool our resources together and obtain it?_

"It is the horn of a unicorn." Griffon replied.

He went on to explain, seeing the clueless expression that was present on both of their faces. "The horn of a unicorn has the relevant properties to heal all sickness known to mortals. If you can obtain this, you can be sure that you will enjoy lifelong health."

"Then there's hope, then!" exclaimed Elie happily.

"Yes, and all we have to do is find a unicorn, and take its horn!" added Haru. He reached for his bow and arrow, he most prized possession.

But Griffon shook his head sadly. "I'm afraid it's not that simple. Unicorns once roamed this land a long time ago. But, because mortals hunted so many of them either for sport or for their prized horns, all the unicorns are now extinct."

Haru abruptly dropped his bow and arrow and sat on the ground, dejected.

_Haru…_ Elie watched her friend lose heart. She hated it whenever she saw her friend depressed.

"Surely there has to be some other way?" she asked Griffon, who was now packing his medical bag. "Not all the horns were used, right?"

Griffon nodded. "You are right, Elie-san." He said, "But there is only a single horn left, and that horn is kept in the house of Reina."

_And I'm not going back there after that incident,_ he vowed silently.

Haru stood up, more determined than ever.

"Then I'll go and buy it from her!" he said. "Come, Griffon. We must seek this Reina immediately."

Griffon waved his hands frantically in protest. "Demo…" he protested. "That Reina is a mad witch, she is! And she lives in that dark part of the forest. I don't like it there! I'm not going!"

At that moment, the sound of maniacal laughter rang out from the heart of the forest not so far away.

Haru ignored him. Nothing could change his mind, not when he wanted to help his sister.

"Elie, please take care of the house for me! I'm going to get that horn back and everything will be all right!"

Elie nodded and waved as Haru left dragging a very reluctant Griffon Kato. She giggled at the thought of the village healer riding on the back of Tanchimo, Haru's favourite horse which was rather wild in nature.

-

As soon as Haru and Griffon disappeared into the forest riding a wild galloping Tanchimo, Elie turned round and went to Cattleya's room.

She knocked gently on the door, not wanting to wake up Cattleya as she rested. But for now, sleep did not come easily to the one who was gravely ill.

"Come in, Elie." Said Cattleya in a frail, soft voice that Elie barely heard. _She must be very weak,_ Elie thought to herself as she went into the room, _ I hope Haru comes back with the horn soon. _

Elie sat on a wooden chair next to Cattleya's bed.

Cattleya took hold of her friend's hand. Her slender fingers felt slightly cold as they looped around Elie's.

"Where's Haru?" Cattleya asked her.

"Haru went off to find a cure for you." Replied Elie. " I'm sure he'll be back soon and you'll get better! I promise!"

Cattleya laughed and shook her head, looking a little sad at the thought of her oncoming death. "Don't waste any more time and money on me Elie. I am already ill and dying. The doctor already said there's no cure for my illness."

Elie lowered her gaze from her friend's pale face. She did not want to think of the possibility of losing a friend close to her heart.

"Elie, I want you to help me look after this place when I'm gone," Cattleya spoke. For the gravely ill girl whose strength was almost gone, speaking a single sentence was a great effort and the words came out slowly. "Make sure that Tanchimo doesn't run wild all over the place and get himself stuck in the hedge. Please look after Haru and make sure he doesn't get into any trouble. You know he always gets so rash sometimes…"

"No!" cried Elie vehemently, getting up from her seat. "You're not going to die, you're not!"

Crying, she ran out of the room, leaving Cattleya alone.

Author's note: And here's chapter one. Sorry if it's really sketchy…also, apologies for the spelling errors…that's 'cuz I'm using my cousin's laptop to type this out and my fingers are not used to the flat keys…oh well. Arigato, my dear cousin! –smiles- And also, I did not want to delay this any further, as I'm heading off to Canada for my holiday for TEN DAYS, that means no access to argh… By the way, I got a B for my English… did pretty well overall for my exams. Hehehz.

Until the next chapter, people! Please review and tell me what you think! Meanwhile, please go read my other works! Arigato! Cya!

grin5- mC


	2. Child of Light

Disclaimer: Not stealing anything rave-related. Just borrowed them and put them into a little fantasy world up in my head… up in my head…

Author's Note: To my dear group members: Well what is there to say except there's a little more dramatization from the original. Eheh.

The Last Unicorn

Chapter Two: Child of Light

Elie brushed past Cattleya, pushed open the door, and ran into the forest near the house. The young maiden ran until her legs were tired and couldn't carry her anymore.

She dropped to her knees and sobbed for a long time, her slender palms covering her pale face. Tears, like pearl droplets, slid down her cheeks and splashed onto the emerald earth.

Everything seemed so hopeless at that moment… Cattleya, ill and dying, confined to her bed… all the money gone and not a single penny left…the devastating drought which had brought nothing but disaster and decay all around…

"What do you weep for, child?"

Elie brushed her tears aside and looked up. There stood a tall, handsome man, his person cloaked in a long white cloak that seemed to be blown by some wind that she couldn't feel. Out of his face, framed by electric blue hair, two sapphire eyes stared at her.

The most outstanding feature, other than his blue hair, was a dark black symbol painted over one side of his face.

Did that tattoo mean…?

"Yeargh! Get away from me!" Elie cried, springing up from her kneeling position. She grabbed a tree branch and held it in front of her like some deadly weapon with which she was going to slice his head off with. "You're not a witch are you?"

This, of course, was a very silly thing to say. Firstly, witches are female, not male. The term for males is wizard. Secondly, no mortal weapon, much less a mere twig, can even come close to inflicting even the slightest scratch on them.

If the stranger found Elie's reaction highly bemusing, he showed no sign of it.Still gazing at her, he replied. "A witch I am not. My name is Siegahart and I am the Enchanter of this forest."

"Oh." Was her only clever reply. Assured that Sieghart wouldn't cast some weird spell on her and turn her into a pig, the girl dropped the branch and moved closer. "Can you help me?"

"Only to the best of my ability." Sieghart replied. "You seek something?"

"Can you help me find a unicorn?" Elie asked him hopefully, praying hard that Griffon Kato was wrong about the mythical creature being extinct.

Unfortunately, the Enchanter shook his head. "I'm afraid not, my child. The unicorns that once roamed this land are no more. They were hunted down by humans a century ago."

Her hopes dashed, Elie said mournfully. "Then you cannot help me. "She began to cry once more, her shoulders heaving up and down with eachfresh sob.

Feeling a wave of sympathy for the young maiden, Sieghart stepped forward and wrapped his cloaked arms around her, pulling her into a warm embrace. As it turned out, an Enchanter's shoulder is rather comforting, not to mention waterproof.

At last, Elie pulled away from him and whispered softly, "Thank you for helping me, Sieghart. I'm sorry for bothering you and wasting your precious time. I should be on my way now." She turned to leave when Seighart called after her. "Wait."

Elie turned round, large brown eyes staring at him. "I may be able to grant your wish by turning you into a unicorn. But a word of caution: the spell is irreversible and once it is done, it you cannot turn back. Are you sure you want to do this?"

The young maiden thought for awhile, then nodded. Anything to help Cattleya get better.

"All right. Then step here."

Elie did as she was told, her heart pounding with nervousness and excitement. Sieghart raised a palm over her head and muttered an old, but powerful spell.

"Pure and holy, Child of Light. Source of healing, strength and might. Take from death its one way track. Rise again and turn it back!"

His last words roared in her eyes. A howling wind surged through the entire forest, as a soft white light glowed about her. She shut her eyes, and waited for the final transformation to take place.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

Author's Note: Have you watched howl's moving castle where the girl turns into an old woman right at the beginning of the story? I feel kinda déjà vu in here!

In the next chapter: Haru and Griff end up somewhere in Reina's…er…residence. But can they get what they seek? And will the price be too great for them to pay?


End file.
